Cosco Kids - Scenera Extend

The Cosco travel car seat is great. Super light, fits in plane seats easily, rear facing for cars. It’s only $60 and it was such a great purchase for our travels. Highly recommend doing something like this to have a car seat on the plane and skipping the rental car option. I’d never lug our Nuna onto a plane but a seat made for air travel, absolutely.

I would do one of these two things, depending on the destination. 1) Fly with car seats and rent a car. I fly enough that I have a dedicated car seat for this, chosen because it's super light. Something like [this for bigger kids](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Safety-1st-Grand-2-in-1-Booster-Car-Seat/17434816989?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3731&wmlspartner=wlpa&cn=FY25-ENTP-PMAX_cnv_dps_dsn_dis_ad_entp_e_n&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=2222222229717434816989_3731_0000000000_21407473164&wl0=&wl1=x&wl2=c&wl3=&wl4=&wl5=9031997&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113734280&wl11=online&wl12=17434816989_3731&veh=sem&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=21690411341&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIpIaHM5J2nDoq4qDCMq9Q_vi&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrc7GBhCfARIsAHGcW5V3vHzYkNqxfMcKtOazhOQeJi1ylg8b1U4MYa7C9VE9Drv8_9QPirwaAnLBEALw_wcB), th[is one for smaller kids](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cosco-Kids-Scenera-NEXT-Convertible-Car-Seat-Columns-Infant-Toddler-Unisex/15683809283?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&selectedOfferId=152F21322A82310FBD43DA26ABAB7460&conditionGroupCode=1&wmlspartner=wlpa&cn=FY25-ENTP-PMAX_cnv_dps_dsn_dis_ad_entp_e_n&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222297152F21322A82310FBD43DA26ABAB7460_0000000000_21407473164&wl0=&wl1=x&wl2=c&wl3=&wl4=&wl5=9031997&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=152F21322A82310FBD43DA26ABAB7460&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21690411341&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIrGfpYyvTju2QKXeteG8medS&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrc7GBhCfARIsAHGcW5VtcWjFUNfthrrsd86Mv4izxwodPl5tjKCp2DrSR4ore0jXoiNaaw0aAsU-EALw_wcB). You may still choose to take public transit at some points in your trip even though you did rent a car (such as to the game). It's also possible to rent a car seat with your car. I have not preferred to do that b/c of the uncertainty of what you're getting, but it's a valid option. 2) Fly without car seats and take public transit. No car seats needed. But bring a stroller! This is really dependent on your destination and will play into how you choose your accommodation. But in many cities going car free is liberating.

I would buy two convertible car seats and leave them installed in your two primary vehicles. If it's not a problem for your husband to keep a car seat in his work vehicle, I'd probably get a third for that car too, once your child starts daycare. It is a big pain to transfer convertible car seats between vehicles. Even once you get really good at it, it will still take you 5-6 minutes, and you definitely won't want to do that on a daily basis. You also want to have the option for either parent to pick your baby up in their vehicle in the event of an emergency or last minute change of plans, which means you'll need multiple car seats. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, I'd recommend the Graco Extend2Fit. If you are willing to spend a little more for a car seat with nicer quality fabric, I'd pick a Britax model. I have owned both for several years. I picked an Extend2Fit in a light blue color, which was a mistake, as that light blue is now quite stained and grungy looking. I didn't understand why so many car seats primarily came in black until my first baby barfed all over their car seat. > Our families live a 5 hr flight away so I also realized that we might need a portable car seat to travel with. There's a Cosco car seat that is very lightweight and a popular pick specifically for travel, but it's not a car seat I would use for day to day driving because it lacks the comfortable padding nearly all other car seats have. I would wait until you are seriously planning to take that flight to decide whether you want to buy another car seat or just bring one you already own.

We bought the newer version of the scenera, the extend. Because scenera is discontinued. That’s why I was SO shocked it doesn’t seem to fit in the seat - everyone recommends it!

In the economy plus , I’d probably book near a bulk head so you’re close to the bathroom , and I guarantee within arms reach is going to be another woman who will offer to watch them for the five minutes it takes you to pee. We bought the Cosco Extend for $59 at Walmart and my child is OBSESSED with it over her fancy schmancy normal car seats. It’s approved for air travel , it has the little airplane sticker on it, it JUST came out this May, so the two that I’ve purchased were manufactured like 3 months ago, so I am getting max life out of this thing. And then the reason we got it is that it’s 8 pounds. If it was me, I would baby wear through the airport. I’d have a small diaper bag back pack. And then I would have a small roll aboard ( I used the Patagonia rolling 40L bag) and you can turn the car seat upside down and clip it onto the roller to get to the gate. Then I’d get the gate check tag for the roller. I’d board early with the ppl traveling with kids and needing more time. I’d stop at the end of the jetbridge , unclip the car seat from the roller, leave the roller to be check. Baby wear and car the car seat to my seat. I’d probably set the baby on the floor while installing the car seat ( it’s very easy to just run the lap belt through the belt path) [ but don’t be like me , I set the car seat in the window seat , and the baby in the middle seat while I shrugged out of the back pack and she climbed into the unsecured car seat and tipped it over and I caught her leg inches before her head smashed !!! ] Then I’d maybe ask for a flight attendants assistance to install or have a hand on the baby in a seat while I install the car seat. Then I’d stow my stuff and put the baby in the seat. And then you’re probably one of the last people off the plane just bc you have to uninstall and collect everything. Alternatively I’d stroller it through the airport to the gate if you have one of the strollers that’s lets you clip on a car seat if the car seat is airplane approved . But for the money I love our system , and for whatever reason - maybe it’s the stars and moons on the cover but my kid is OBSESSED with the Cosco car seat

I think the only thing that we didn’t have to do that I’m nervous about is gate checking the roller. Bc you need to get it back when you deplane. So maybe check into that , or just don’t gate check. The thing that you need two people for , or to be able to make 2 trips is getting the car seat off the roller bc you have to lift the car seat over the seat to get to where you’re going … But I’m sure you could ask for a hand at the end of the jet bridge. And someone would help you bring your roller to your seat. Other pro tip diaper bag needs to have a change of clothes for baby AND you. I used the Patagonia terravia lightweight backpack tote as my backpack / diaper bag. And then did the baby ergo 360 for wearing, and then the Cosco car seat and the Patagonia roller 40 L like I said before

Mmmm I think clipping to a travel stroller might be tricky. If you used the stroller as sort of a luggage cart and you wore the baby , you could probably clip it in/on the stroller where the kid would sit. And MAYBE if it had a sturdy canopy you could lay it over top if the kid was inside . The Cosco truly is 9 pounds but it’s a heavy 9 pounds bc it’s unwieldy. But it made me appreciate that my other car seats like a Gracco bucket seat and a Gracco convertible, both of which are over 20 pounds, would be impossible to travel with.

I loathed this car seat for the exact same reasons. It didn’t feel safe because of how hard it was to install. The recline is alllll the way flat no matter what, so an older rear facer will be miserable. I don’t have a good alternative recommendation for you. I hope someone else will suggest something!

I have installed all of my kid’s car seats, and I cannot get a good install on the scenera, no matter what I do. I really don’t recommend this seat.

It’s really not that much bigger. It’s still a very solid travel option.

I may be in the minority, but I hate the Scenera. The straps and crotch buckle are awful, and I was never able to get a tight install with it.

FWIW, if you got a lightweight Cosco seat a few years ago, the Scenera Next has been phased out in favor of the Scenera Extend — which is quite a bit larger. Probably still lighter and easier to travel with than other car seats, but not as easy as the Next. https://www.thecarseatpros.com/blog/cosco-scenera-extend-convertible-car-seat-

Regular car seats are a PITA on a plane. The Cosco Scenera is very light and easy to carry around, but must be used in the window seat. If you don’t need the tether in the car because you’re still rear-facing, it’s possible to unscrew it and leave it home, decreasing the weight further.

Oh wow. The new one is quite a bit larger. https://www.thecarseatpros.com/blog/cosco-scenera-extend-convertible-car-seat-

Until my kid got into the booster, we always rented and never had an issue.    We rented them probably 10 times.  Every time the seat was either new or I could tell was recently cleaned.  I pulled new tags off at least 3 seats.  The majority rentals were in Orlando, and most had the instructions attached.  I carried a car seat to fly exactly one time and decided never again.  Too much work for me.   I would never let car rental staff install a seat. Most of them don't seem to have kids anyway, and it's fairly obvious the rental places didn't do much training on much of anything at the airport locations.    They usually point me to the rack and say we have a few sizes, please grab the size you need.   They usually have the basic seat for babies/toddlers and boosters for when they are taller. My sister always checked seats and filled the bag with extra stuff since checking the seats are free.  That's probably a good plan if you don't want to pay for a bag, but too much work for me.  Now that she's in a booster, I either take it with us or just go to the nearest target or Walmart and buy one-is rarely more than 2 miles from the airport to find a place to get one.   They are just basic cosco seats.  Either use the anchors if the car has them or thread the belts through the back.  It's not rocket science and you have a phone in your pocket with access to videos and manuals.  I usually just use the belt to get where I'm going, then maybe switch to the anchors later.  https://coscokids.com/products/scenera-extend-convertible-car-seat-cc341 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RIGlRWfeTys&pp=0gcJCRsBo7VqN5tD Here's the pro tip: turn on the car AC and overhead dome lights.  It's dark and hot in there while you're installing the seat with your spouse and child watching you closely.